Tips And Tricks For New Gardeners
I am so excited! The lilacs are blooming and that is the earth’s signal for us to start planting our vegetable gardens for the season! Gardening is a great hobby and gives everyone who plants one access to clean fresh food.
Growing up on a farm, I learned at a young age to love fruits and veg. I wouldn’t even need to come inside to eat because i would be playing outside in the fresh air and sunshine, eating whatever was around to forage. We had grape vines, a cherry tree, wild strawberries, raspberries and a huge garden where i would often pick beans, peas or pull up a carrot to wash off under the hose so i didn’t have to go back inside. I still find myself in awe of how something as tiny as a seed will grow into a magnificent plant that nourishes us. I get so excited to see those little seeds grow!
So come on, let’s get growing so you can see for yourself how vibrant food makes a vibrant you!
When deciding to start a garden you will need to start with a plan. I didn’t do this at first, I just read a bunch of books and went willy nilly at it. I reaped some from the fruits of my labour, but I didn’t get any extras to store for winter and some plants did not do well at all. :( Now I have a garden journal so that I know where I have planted my veg in the past so I can rotate my crops for better nutrients for the new crops and I plan out where I am going to plant things that benefit each other for this year. Like the three sisters. Beans, corn and squash. These three have been planted for years all over the world. They stabilize the soil and help support each other, not to mention they are delicious.
While a smaller garden means less work and money, it will not produce enough food to sustain you for the winter months. Container gardens are fun and easy to maintain not to mention a necessity for small yards or balconies, but they do require more water and fertilizer.
One item that will ease your workload is to put down a 4-inch layer of mulch. This will reduce the soil’s need for water and helps keep weeds under control. Last years leaves or straw make a great mulch. I use both, and I have very few weeds.
Keeping your yard tools in good condition is going to make your maintenance tasks easier. So go ahead and put them away when you're done, somewhere they are out of the elements.
Save your seeds at the end of the season; it’s cheaper than buying more and you can trade them with other gardeners. Some communities have seed exchanges where you can swap some of your seeds for new varieties!
Here are six things to consider when starting your garden:
Aerate - Use a pitchfork to loosen the soil (to invite oxygen, water and root growth) without turning it over (to preserve structure and microbiology).
Weed - All competing plants must be pulled up. Be sure to get all the roots or else they will come back.
Amend - Now is the time to add fertilizer or soil amendments. adding ash from the fire pit for potassium and higher pH.
Mulch - Apply a layer of mulch of your choice until soil is covered. Mulch protects soil from moisture loss, weed growth, and erosion from wind and rain.
Plant - Direct seed and transplant seedlings
Companion Planting is another lesson to learn. Multiple species can grow well together, each contributing to the greater ecosystem. For instance, legumes and their rhizobia (bacteria in their roots) build nitrogen in the soil.
Remember each garden will have a unique process for bed preparation, depending on soil conditions and available tools.
Starting your own garden is so rewarding! When you are outside in nature you have a real appreciation of where your food comes from and the work it takes to grow. Have you started your garden? What do you like to plant?